The Marauders
by Newton Scamander
Summary: A series of stories purely about the Marauders and their classmates, both before, during, and after Hogwarts. Latest: the reason that Peter went bad.
1. Unconscious

**June, 1974 (Third Year)**

* * *

"Evans."

"Shush." Pause.

"Hey, Evans."

"Shut up, I'm trying to concentrate." Another Pause.

"E-vans!"

"I'm warning you, Potter." Yet another pause.

"Do you wanna go out with me, Evans?"

* * *

James Potter woke up. As soon as his eyes opened, he had to squeeze them shut again, because of the blinding light.

"He's awake, Madam Pomfrey." A voice called; a voice that James recognised as belonging to Remus Lupin.

"What happened?" James asked, trying to sit up. His head began to spin, however, so he slumped back onto the pillows. He suddenly heard somebody laughing loudly from the other side of the room.

"Classic, classic..." Sirius Black called, making no attempt to control the amusement in his voice.

"What happened?" James repeated, slightly more irritably.

"Well, Lily Evans wasn't too keen on you distracting her from her work in Transfiguration." Remus Lupin said. "She liked it even less when you asked her out... for the thirty-second time." Even Remus sounded rather like he suppressing a laugh at this point. "So... she told you stop. Then she threw Hogwarts: A History at your head."

It was unfortunate that Madam Pomfrey had just come over to give James medicine; he was so surprised that he spat it all out. Madam Pomfrey tutted, and left to get another spoonful of potion.

"Hogwarts: A History? That great thick book? Couldn't she have thrown something lighter, like - like - like you, Remus?"

"Why me?" Remus asked indignantly.

"Yes, why Remus?" A girl's voice came from the bed along from James.

"Ah, Evans. Well, you see, Remus is rather small, so it would have hurt less."

"I'm taller than you!" Remus protested.

"Yes, but you would have hurt less that Hogwarts: A History."

"Potter, you're pathetic. It was only a book. And besides, I didn't throw it that hard, because I hurt my arm. Madam Pomfrey fixed it in an instant, but insisted that I apologise to you." Lily sniffed disdainfully. "Sorry, Potter."

"Ah, I knew you loved me really!" James grinned. Lily made a rude gesture at him, taking him off guard - then Madam Pomfrey returned, and Lily hid her hands behind her back and smiled innocently.

"Have you apologised?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Yes, Miss." Lily replied quietly.

"You may return to the Gryffindor common room until your next lesson. There's not much point going back to Transfiguration now."

"Okay." Lily skipped over to the door, and left, closing it quietly behind her.

"Now then, Mr Potter. If you would take your medicine now -" Madam Pomfrey held out a spoonful of potion. James took it obediently. "You may leave. Go to the common room, but any more fights, and I shall be telling Professor McGonagall and you'll get detention. Obviously not you, Remus, you had nothing to do with it. And, Mr Black, as odd as it seems, I can't prove you had any involvement either, other than laughing." Sirius batted his eyelashes, and attempted an innocent smile, like Lily's, but Madam Pomfrey saw straight through it. "All right, you can all go. And remember, Remus, you need to come next week."

"How could I forget?" Remus said weakly. Madam Pomfrey's stern expression lapsed momentarily into a sad smile.

"I should trust you to remember by now, shouldn't I? Take care of yourself until then, dear. And keep an eye on Mr Potter." Remus nodded, before he realised that James and Sirius had already left. With a final, respectful nod at Madam Pomfrey, he followed them.

* * *

 **AN: I hope you enjoyed that. I've always imagined Lily as being slightly less serious than she first seems, and having a crush on James the whole time, but just refusing to admit it, so I decided to write this.**

 **I dislike begging for reviews, but I do like feedback, because I need to know where I need to improve the most, so, reviews welcome ;)**


	2. Flowers and Chocolates

**February, 1977 (Sixth Year)**

* * *

"Come on, Prongs. You've asked her out loads of times before."

"Yeah, but this time, I'm serious."

"No, I'm Sirius."

"Shut up."

James Potter and Sirius Black were sat together in the Gryffindor common room, watching Lily Evans talking to Marlene McKinnon about the Transfiguration homework. James had a bouquet that he had bought from Hogsmeade earlier that day lying on the floor next to his feet, and there was a large, expensive box full of Honeydukes chocolates in his bag. He'd never bought Lily any genuine gifts before - he was scared of her dismissing this present and proposal as easily as she had the others.

"Look, Prongs, are you going to get on with it? I'm getting bored." Sirius said loudly, looking up from the Daily Prophet. "I've been reduced to reading an article about some crazy Ministry woman passing some anti-werewolf legislation. She hates all the half-breeds, you know. Mermaids, centaurs, Remuses..."

"Don't be mean." James said.

"Don't be slow. Go and ask Evans." Sirius insisted, folding up his paper. "Oh, look, there's Remus! Just in time to watch the show."

"Don't you dare -"

"Remus! Remus, mate over here!" Remus Lupin changed the direction in which he was walking from the portrait hole to the dormitory, and came over to James and Sirius.

"What's happening?"

"James is asking out Lily."

"Be quiet." James implored.

"Oh, and that woman at the Ministry - the new one, the one that looks like a toad - you know who I mean - she's passed some anti-werewolf stuff. Worth a read." Sirius forced the newspaper into the hands of Remus, who was looking considerably paler than he had been a few seconds previously. "Oh, don't worry. It's nothing major. She's started a bunch of campaigns against half-breeds, but everybody think's they're a bit of a joke. It's just something -" he broke off as Remus flipped open the Daily Prophet, and scanned the article. When he got to the end, he gave a relieved laugh.

"So werewolves are banned from working with food. What does she think we'll do, dribble on it? I just hope it doesn't get any more serious. Some of these campaigns could have a major effect..." Remus trailed off, staring at the paper for a moment, before shaking his head and putting it away.

"Bit of a nutter, isn't she?" Sirius asked. "I assume you weren't planning on being a chef?"

Remus hummed in response, which could really have meant anything, before he took a seat in the free armchair. "So, James. Operation Evans?" He suggested. James groaned.

"Not yet. She's busy." He said.

"Lily's always busy with something. She's signed up for almost every society and club in the school, plus she's got about a million friends, and all her homework, plus... y'know... sleeping, and eating. Just go on." With the last three words, Sirius handed James the gifts and pulled him to his feet, before pushing him a few steps towards Lily. James hid the gifts behind his back, before continuing over to Lily Evans.

* * *

"Evans - Lily - Lily Evans -" James felt himself begin to go red, but he took a deep breath, and held out the flowers and chocolates. "Lily, will you go out with me?"

James felt that he had barely finished speaking when he heard Lily's answer.

"Yes."

James could barely believe his ears.

"Seriously?" He spluttered. "You - me - really? Look - er, give me a second." He dumped the presents on the table, and almost ran over to Sirius, before remembering that he was a dignified almost-seventeen-year-old, and walking. He grabbed Sirius's arm, and pulled him over to where Lily and Marlene were stood, looking amused. "Say it again."

"Yes." Lily said. "Now then, can you please leave me to my homework? Thanks for the chocolates and flowers. See you tomorrow." With that, she scooped up the gifts, and swept up the staircase to the girl's dormitory, but not before kissing James on the cheek. Marlene followed her.

"Now then, where are you planning on taking her for a first date?" Sirius asked as soon as Lily was out of earshot. James's face fell.

"First date?"

* * *

 **AN: So I hope you like the new update. Not all the stories will be Jily, I can assure you, it's just coincidence.**

 **If you do have any requests for more stories, feel free to PM me or leave them in a review :)**


	3. Always

Peter was _always_ the forgotten friend.

Whenever James or Sirius needed help with a prank or plan, they _always_ called upon each other or Remus before Peter.

Whenever there was a Hogsmeade weekend, or school dance, Peter was _always_ the last to get a date; that is, if he got one.

James and Sirius _always_ used Peter as bait for pranks. They risked him getting hexed by another student, or getting attacked by Peeves, so that they could keep themselves amused.

Even as adults, Peter was _always_ the last resort to babysit Harry.

As a result, Peter _always_ felt inadequate; that was when it struck him.

If he couldn't be good at being good, why didn't he try being bad?

So he did.

And he knew - he would _always_ be remembered, for one reason or another.

Little did he know _always_ regret that decision.

* * *

 **AN: This update is a little shorter than the last two, but I hope you liked it all the same :)**


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